The date was June 21, 1997 at the St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights, IL for
the finals of the $110,000 St. Clair Classic. The was the final broadcast
of the PBA on ABC Sports after 36 consecutive years. It was a memorable,
emotional show, as the championship match featured the #1 ranked bowler, Walter
Ray Williams, Jr. vs. #2, Pete Weber. The match went down to the final
frame, when WRW defeated PDW. For me, it was the end of an era for the PBA.
The TV coverage has never been the same since. Even through new ownership
that has pumped some great ideas, I still believe currently, it's
regressing...the 2006-07 season prize funds vs. the last few years demonstrate
this....but this is a discussion for another time. I hope you enjoy the
final match between WRW and PDW, as well as Chris Schenkel's emotional goodbye,
and signoff.

The title match of the St. Clair Classic in Fairview Heights, III.,
pitted the PBA's No. 1 ranked bowler and alltime earning leader, Walter
Ray Williams Jr., against hometown favorite Pete Weber, ranked second by
the PBA rankings and entered the championship round less than $5,000
behind Williams on the all-time earnings list.

In a match that went down to the final frame, Williams defeated
Weber, 206-196, to earn his third win of the year, the 24th of his
career and $18,000.

"This was a match that everyone wanted to see," said
Williams. "I'm just glad I was able to throw the shots when I
needed them to come out on top."

Both Will! ms and Weber waited in the wings as Ricky Ward started the
ABC-TV telecast by winning his second consecutive Showboat "King of
the Hill" match. Ward, N. Fort Myers, Fla., defeated Brian Voss,
Atlanta, 194-167, to earn $10,000.

A title match that was nip-and-tuck throughout, Williams, who
finished the match first, put the pressure on Weber by striking in frame
nine and on his first two shots in the 10th before getting a nine-count
on his "fill ball" in the 10th.

Weber needed to double and get at least eight pins on his final shot
in the 10th frame to win the title. His first shot went high, leaving
the 3-6-10 and Weber had to settle for the second-place check for
$9,500.

Williams, just shy of the $2 million mark atter winning, competed in
a regional event a day later to eclipse the mark. The St. Clair Classic
was the final stop of a 14-event Spring Tour.